Processing device for value documents

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for processing documents of value ( 12 ) has a checking device ( 52 ) for checking at least one property of a document of value ( 12 ) in accordance with at least one predetermined criterion with a sensor device ( 50 ), a storage-area housing ( 56 ) including a securable storage area in which documents of value ( 12 ) recognized as authentic are storable, and has a first opening ( 54; 88 ) through which the documents of value ( 12 ) can be transported from the processing area ( 28 ) to the storage area, a transport device ( 42 ) for the singled transport of documents of value ( 12 ) along a transport path ( 48 ) to the checking device ( 52 ) and from there to the storage area, and a processing-area cover ( 32; 128 ) has a cover element ( 36; 128 ) which can be moved between a close position, in which the processing area ( 28 ) is covered by the processing-area cover ( 32; 128 ), and an open position, in which an operator is enabled to access the transport path ( 48 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for documents ofvalue and in particular such a processing apparatus with a checkingdevice for detecting at least one property of the documents of value anda storage-area housing, comprising and securing against unauthorizedaccess a storage area in which documents of value are storable whichwere recognized as authentic by the checking device in accordance withthe criterion, and having a first opening through which the documents ofvalue are transportable by the checking device into the storage area.

BACKGROUND

Herein and in the following documents of value are understood assheet-shaped objects, which represent for example a monetary value or anauthorization and which should therefore not be producible at will byunauthorized persons. Therefore they have properties which are not easyto reproduce, in particular such properties whose presence indicatesauthenticity, i.e. production by a correspondingly authorized authority.Some important examples for such documents of value are coupons,vouchers, checks and in particular bank notes.

Processing apparatus of the above-mentioned type are known in principle.Such a processing device can for example serve to enable operatingstaff, for example cashiers, to deposit bank notes in a securitycontainer from which they cannot remove any deposited bank notes. Bymeans of the processing apparatus an operator can for example verifyautomatically whether a stack of bank notes is authentic, determine thenumber and denomination of the bank notes and transport bank notes whichwere recognized as authentic into security containers in the storagearea. The security containers can then be removed from the apparatus andtransported to a bank by security transport companies. Therein forexample the value of the bank notes can be determined automatically anddisplayed for the operator. In addition the corresponding amount can becredited to the operator or a company employing the operator.

A corresponding apparatus can have an input device for a stack of banknotes, a singler for singling the bank notes in the stack of bank notes,a transport device for transporting the singled bank notes along atransport path, as well as a checking device arranged at the transportpath for detecting at least one property of a bank note transportedalong the transport path. Therein the transport path extends from theinput device or the singler to the storage area.

Despite the careful construction of such apparatus, due to the greatlydiffering mechanical properties of bank notes in circulation, inparticular those subject to strong wear, disturbances, in particularalso jams, can occur during the transport of the bank notes within theapparatus along the transport path and into or out of the storage area,which prevent the further operation of the apparatus. It is thereforeprovided that the apparatus can be opened for eliminating disturbances.In order to render manipulations by operators of a storage arranged inthe storage area, in particular the unauthorized removal of bank notes,more difficult, such apparatus can be opened only by persons who have acorresponding special authorization. Since an authorized personconsequently has to be called upon every disturbance along the transportpath and in particular in the area of the storage area, longer periodscan possibly occur during which the apparatus cannot be used.

SUMMARY

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for processing documents of value in which disturbances duringthe transport of documents of value within the apparatus can beeliminated quickly and easily, without jeopardizing the security of thedocuments of value.

The object is solved by an apparatus for processing documents of value,in particular bank notes, with a checking device for checking documentsof value for at least one property of a document of value in accordancewith at least one predetermined criterion, in particular an authenticitycriterion, with a sensor device arranged in a processing area fordetecting the property, a storage-area housing comprising and securingagainst unauthorized access a storage area in which documents of valuerecognized as authentic in accordance with the criterion are storable,and having a first opening through which the documents of value can betransported from the processing area to the storage area, a transportdevice arranged in the processing area for the single transport ofdocuments of value fed by the apparatus along a transport path from aninput device for the single input of documents of value or a singler tothe checking device and from there to the storage area, and aprocessing-area cover having a cover element which can be moved back andforth between a close position, in which the processing area is coveredby the processing-area cover, and an open position, in which an operatoris enabled to access the transport path from the input device or thesingler to the checking device and from there to the storage area.

The apparatus serves to process input documents of value andconsequently has the input device for the single input of documents ofvalue and/or the singler for singling documents of value input in theform of a stack. The input device or the singler can for example beknown devices.

The checking device serves to check documents of value fed by thetransport device. For this purpose it detects the at least one propertyof the document of value by means of the sensor device and checkswhether the document of value fulfils a predetermined criterion for theproperty. For checking the property in dependence on sensor-devicesignals generated during the detection of the property the checkingdevice can comprise an evaluation device which uses the signals forchecking the criterion. The evaluation device can be allocatedexclusively to the checking device and be designed as a digital circuitor in the form of a processor and a memory, in which a program forcarrying out the check is stored that is executable by the processor, orcan be implemented at least partly by corresponding software modules orprogram modules for a control device for controlling the apparatus. Theproperty can in particular be a property selected from the group ofoptical properties, electrical properties, magnetic properties,mechanical properties, acoustic properties or shape properties, forwhich the sensor device can have a corresponding sensor. The property ofthe document of value can in particular be an authenticity feature, suchas for example used for bank notes. The predetermined criterion to befulfilled then refers to the at least approximate presence of theproperty, such as given in an authentic document of value. Of course thechecking device can also be designed for checking several properties, inparticular the presence of several predetermined security features,which have to be present cumulatively in order to fulfill the criterion.

In dependence on the checking result, the checked documents of value arestored in the storage-area housing comprising the storage area that doesnot overlap with the processing area. This serves to protect the storeddocuments of value against unauthorized access. An unauthorized accessis understood as such an access in which a person uses simple physicalforce or manipulation trying to gain access to the storage area, inorder to remove documents of value from it. For transport from theprocessing area to the storage area the first opening is provided. Ifdocuments of value are to be fed to the storage area also from othermodules of the apparatus, in particular in the processing area, oroutput to these from the storage area, the storage-area housing can haveadditional openings corresponding to the first opening. All explanationsconcerning the first opening are optionally valid also for theseadditional openings. The storage-area housing can for example be formedof sufficiently stable plates, but it can also comprise parts of otherconstruction components of the apparatus which are for example arrangedin the processing area or enclose the latter at least partly.

As transport device any desired devices can be used that are suitablefor transporting documents of value present in a singled state. Inparticular transport device with transport elements that are known perse, such as for example belts actuated by a drive, rolls, drivenrollers, diverting elements and/or switches or combinations of thesetransport elements can be used. The transport path determined by thetransport device starts downstream of the input device or the singler upto the storage area or the first opening.

By means of the processing-area cover the transport device and thetransport path provided by it can be secured against unintentionalinterference and disturbances caused thereby. However, the cover elementwhich can be moved back and forth between a close position, in which theprocessing area is covered by the processing-area cover, and an openposition, in which it is possible for an operator to access theprocessing area, in particular at least partially to parts of thetransport device situated therein, allows access to the processing area,in particular for eliminating transport disturbances. An operator canfor example gain access to the transport path in order to eliminatedisturbances by moving the cover element, for example turning, swivelingor shifting into the open position.

The cover element is particularly preferably arranged and designed insuch a way that in the open position of the cover element transportdisturbances can be eliminated along the complete transport path fromthe input device or the singler up to the storage area or the firstopening through the opening in the processing-area cover which is openedby moving the cover element.

In this way by moving only one element it can be rendered possible toeliminate transport disturbances very easily and without a long searchfor the location of the disturbance. Simultaneously documents of valuestored in the storage-area housing are protected against removal.

Particularly preferably in the device the processing-area cover has acover element which is movable exclusively relative to the transportpath. This has the advantage that in the case of a transport disturbanceonly one movable element is available to an operator in order toeliminate the disturbance, so that a highly intuitive elimination of thedisturbance is rendered possible without opening several flaps.

In principle the cover element can be implemented independently of thetransport device. The cover element can for example in the simplest casebe designed as a plate or molded plastic component serving only tocover. However, it is preferred that it also serves as carrier for partsof the checking device and/or the transport device. This has theadvantage that a substantially simpler and in particular also morecompact construction of the apparatus can be achieved. In particular inthe case that the transport device has at least two sections betweenwhich the transport path extends, and of which only one is held on thecover element, an operator can access the transport path particularlyeasily to eliminate a disturbance, since it is uncovered at least partlyby moving the cover element. The parts of the transport device held onthe cover element can in particular interact with complementary parts ofthe transport device when the cover element is in the close position.

The cover element can in principle be movable back and forth in anydesired fashion between the open position and the close positionrelative to the apparatus or the processing area. However, if thetransport path extends in a plane, i.e. if at least one plane exists inwhich the projection of the transport path on the plane is essentiallystraight, it is preferred that the cover element is rotatable orswivelable around and axis essentially parallel to a plane defined bythe transport path. Essentially parallel herein means that the axisencloses an angle with the plane which is smaller than 5°. Thisembodiment on the one hand allows a particularly robust mounting of thecover element and on the other hand a good overview of the transportdevice, if the cover element is in the open position. If the transportpath is straight, the plane can extend through the transport path asdesired, the axis is then substantially parallel to the direction of thetransport path.

In order to prevent that anybody can gain access to the processing areaand in particular to components arranged therein, the apparatuspreferably has a cover locking device, by means of which the coverelement can be locked in the close position.

In particular in the case that the cover element carries parts of thetransport device, an incomplete closing of the cover element can lead todisturbances in the transport of documents of value. It is thereforepreferred that the apparatus has a closing device with a drive that iscontrollable by closing signals, which, upon the activation of the driveby a closing signal, moves the cover element into the close positionfrom a release position lying between the open position and the closeposition. This further development has the advantage that the coverelement can be moved securely and completely out of the releaseposition, from which it can be manually movable to the open position andback, into the close position. In particular in the close position aforce can be exerted on the cover element, which for example pressestransport rolls held thereon onto complementary parts of the transportdevice. Therein the closing device can in particular also comprise thecover locking device. It is particularly preferred to design the closingdevice in such a fashion that it functions as a locking device by meansof which the cover element can be locked in the close position.

In principle the transport path for the documents of value to thestorage area or the first opening can extend as desired. Preferably inthe apparatus one or the transport path extends from the input device orthe singler to the storage area or the first opening, however in anunfolded fashion. An unfolded extension up to the intermediate areatherein means that in the case of single feeding from the input deviceor otherwise from the singler to the intermediate area the transportpath extends in a straight line or at least from a virtual perspective,preferably through the cover element, looking down on the transport pathdoes not have any undercuts in a plane spanned by the referencedtransport path or by the transport directions defined by it. Thereforethe unfolded transport path does not necessarily need to extend in aperfectly straight line, rather also changes in the transport directioncan occur, which do not exceed an angle of 20° except for the interfacesto the input device, for example the feed or the singler or theintermediate area. Such a course of the transport path determined by acorresponding design of the transport device offers the advantage thatonly one suitably dimensioned cover element has to be used, so that auser can access the complete transport path from the input device or thesingler up to the first opening simply by moving the one cover element.

It is particularly preferred that downstream of the input device or thesingler the transport path extends in an essentially straight line. Thishas the advantage that transport with a particularly rare occurrence ofdisturbances can be achieved with only a very small number of componentsof the transport device.

The apparatus preferably has a control device which detects and storesthe at least one property of the documents of value intermediatelystored in the intermediate repository which was detected upon checkingby the checking device. The stored data can in particular concern thekind and/or the type of documents of value, in the case of bank notesfor example their denomination, and can be allocated to the position ofthe respective documents of value in the intermediate repository.Furthermore the number of intermediately stored documents of value canbe stored. For this purpose the control device can in particularcomprise a processor and a memory, in which instructions for executionby the processor are stored. The control device can be physicallyseparated from the checking device, however preferably the controldevice has a processor and a memory which the processor can access andin which instructions are stored for execution by the processor and inparticular for checking the criterion as well as detecting and storingthe property. Furthermore the instructions can be chosen in such afashion that during their execution by the processor an allocation of aposition of the respective document of value in the intermediaterepository in the sequence of the other intermediately stored documentsof value to the kind and/or type and/or the value of the document ofvalue is carried out and stored. Furthermore the control device cancomprise the access control device, for which purpose the storedinstructions can comprise instructions for checking detected access datafor the fulfillment of the at least one predetermined access criterion.These embodiments have the advantage that only one processor and onememory have to be provided, representing a substantial constructivesimplification.

Preferably at least parts of the apparatus are controlled electrically,for which the control device can also be designed.

It is furthermore preferred that the control device is designed todetect an end of the transport of documents of value to the storagearea, and upon detecting an end to determine a cumulative property ofthe documents of value stored in the storage area, in particular theirvalue. The cumulative property therein is a property which is detectedin dependence of at least one property of all documents of value storedin the storage area. Preferably the cumulative property can be stored oroutput by means of an output device, for example a display device or aprinter. It is thus in particular allowed to automatically determine thevalue of several bank notes, for example a stack of bank notes. Fordetecting the end of the transport in the storage area, in particular arepository therein, and/or at the transport path at least one sensor,for example a light barrier, can be provided for detecting a transportof a document of value past said sensor.

It cannot be completely ruled out that disturbances occur during thetransport of the documents of value in the apparatus. It is thereforepreferred that the apparatus has a signal device for indicating thelocation along the transport path determined by the transport device atleast to the storage area in which the occurrence of a transport errorwas detected. For detecting the disturbance the apparatus can haverespective value-document sensors along the transport path, which emit asignal when detecting a document of value in the transport path. Bytracking the signals the location of the disturbance can then bedetermined. It is thus allowed in an advantageous fashion to quicklydetect sources of disturbance. For example the signal device cancomprise a display device for this purpose, on which the transport pathand the location of the disturbance can be displayed at leastschematically. Alternatively it can be displayed whether the disturbanceoccurred in the processing area or in the storage area.

However, it is particularly preferred that the signal device has atleast two light sources arranged along the transport path, and that thecontrol device is designed in such a fashion and connected to the signaldevice that upon detecting the location of a disturbance the lightsource which is closest to the location of the disturbance is switchedto a different or new operating state, in particular switched on. Theoperating staff is thus enabled to immediately detect the location of adisturbance upon opening the corresponding area.

It is furthermore preferred that on at least one output pocket foroutputting documents of value which is freely accessible a removalsignal device with at least one light source is arranged that isconnected to the control device via a signal connection, and that thecontrol device is designed in such a fashion that the removal signaldevice is controlled in such a manner that the light source is switchedon when documents of value output to the output pocket can be removedfrom there.

The storage-area housing can in principle be designed as desired.However, it is preferred that the storage-area housing has astorage-area housing element which can be moved back and forth betweenan open position, in which an operator is enabled to access the storagearea via an access area, and a close position, in which it protects thestorage area against access by an operator via the access area at leastfor removing documents of value, and that the apparatus furthermorecomprises a locking device for locking the storage-area housing elementin the close position. This embodiment does not only have the advantagethat stored documents of value or a repository provided in the storagearea can be removed easily from the storage-area housing. Rather it isalso possible to carry out maintenance works on the repository or toeliminate disturbances in the storage-area housing if the storage-areahousing element in the open position grants access to the access area,via which the storage area or the documents of value therein can beaccessed. In contrast, in the close position such access is blocked. Inorder to grant access exclusively for authorized persons the lockingdevice is provided, by means of which the storage-area housing elementcan be locked in the close position. Preferably therefore only suchpersons who can activate the locking device have access to theintermediate area at least for removing documents of value therefrom.

This locking device for the storage-area housing, but also a preferablyprovided locking device for locking the cover element in the closeposition is preferably designed in such a fashion that it cannot beoperated by any random person. Rather, it should be operable only byauthorized persons who have corresponding means or data which areaccessible preferably exclusively to them. Also here the embodimentsdescribed in the following can be used alternatively or cumulatively.

As the simplest variants the locking device of the apparatus can have alock to be mechanically operated by an operator which can preferably bea security lock. For opening the intermediate-area housing authorizedpersons are provided with a key to the lock.

In other preferred variants the locking device of the apparatus iselectrically and/or pneumatically and/or hydraulically controllable.Therein an electrically controllable locking device is understood alsoas such a locking device which has an electromagnet for locking. Thisembodiment has the advantage that the locking device can be controlledby other devices, thereby allowing for a secure check of a person'sauthorization and an automatic operation in dependence on the check. Inparticular the locking device can be implemented at least partly by onepreferably electric drive of the apparatus serving to open and close thestorage-area housing element.

Preferably the apparatus then comprises at least one access-datadetection device for detecting access data and at least one accesscontrol device connected with the access-data detection device via asignal connection for checking detected access data for the fulfillmentof at least one predetermined access criterion and for controlling thelocking device in dependence on the check. This variant allows in anadvantageous fashion to use a plurality of authentication possibilities.For checking the access criterion of course the detected access data areused, the access criterion can for example contain a certain consistencyproperty of the access data and/or the conformity at least of parts ofthe access data with predetermined data stored in the apparatus and/orthe presence of certain properties of the access data.

In a preferred variant the access-data detection device comprises areading device for reading access data from a mobile data carrier ordata memory, in particular a card reading device for reading chip cards.Therein mobile data carriers or data memories are understood inparticular as optical data carriers such as for example CD or DVD ornon-volatile memories, for example USB memories or chips on chip cards.The use of such an access-data detection device has the advantage thaton the one hand a particularly falsification-proof medium can be usedfor checking the access authorization and that on the other hand acomparatively great amount of data can be used as access data. Thereading device can preferably also be designed as a data writing device,provided that the given type of data carrier or data memory allowswriting access. A card reading device is understood in particular as anydevice by means of which data can be read from preferably flat objects.Therein the data can be given as an optically recognizable pattern forexample in the form of character strings or images. Alternatively orcumulatively data can be given in the form of magnetic properties of thecard, for example of a magnetic strip, or the shape of the card or partsthereof. Furthermore the card can preferably alternatively orcumulatively have a storage medium, for example a chip, which can beaccessed in a contactless or contact-type fashion. For this purpose thecard reading device respectively has corresponding sensors, antennasand/or contacts. The data do not all have to be stored in the samefashion, rather it is possible that different portions are stored indifferent ways. For authentication then in particular data stored on thecard can be used, which are used by the access control device afterreading out by means of the card reading device.

In another preferred variant the access data comprise biometric data ofan operator and the access-data detection device of the apparatus has adevice for detecting the biometric data. This embodiment has theadvantage that an operator cannot lose or lend out an object or codeused for checking the access authorization to the intermediaterepository. Theft is not possible either, so that a very great securitycan be achieved. The device for detecting biometric data can preferablybe designed to detect voices, fingerprints, optical features of the irisor of the eye ground, the proportions of body parts or other individualcharacteristics of the human body or behavior, in order to be able,after detecting the data, to carry out a voice recognition, afingerprint recognition, an iris or eye ground recognition orrecognition of the other characteristics.

These forms of the locking device can be used also in locking the coverelement for the processing area, however wherein in operation not allusers who are authorized to access the processing area are alsoauthorized to access the intermediate repository.

The storage area can be secured in different ways against access fromthe processing area. The two preferred possibilities mentioned in thefollowing can be used alternatively or preferably in combination.

According to the first possibility it is however preferred in theapparatus that the first opening has the shape of a slot with a width ofless than 9 mm, preferably less than 5 mm. This has the advantage thatby a very simple measure access to the storage area through the firstopening can be gained at best with a correspondingly thin tool, howeverfor which considerable dexterity and the possession of a suitable toolwould be required. The length of the slot is preferably adapted to thegreatest dimension of the documents of value transverse to the transportdirection directly upstream of the opening.

A second possibility is that at least one element in the storage-areahousing or the processing area and/or one element of the storage-areahousing can be moved relative to the processing area between a firstposition, in which documents of value are transportable through thefirst opening between the storage area and the processing area, and asecond position, in which at least in the case that the cover element isdisposed in the open position and the storage-area housing element isdisposed in the close position, a transport of a document of value outof the storage area through the first opening to the processing area isprevented. This further development allows the complete closing of thefirst opening and thereby a great security against unauthorized access.Preferably the apparatus then has an actuating drive for moving the atleast one element, so that by activating the actuating drive the openingcan be automatically closed upon or after moving the cover element tothe open position.

The storage area can serve different storage purposes. In a firstembodiment of the apparatus the storage-area housing comprises a finalstorage device for accommodating at least one security container forstoring documents of value, which final storage device encloses thestorage area at least partially and has the first opening. Thisembodiment is characterized by a particularly compact construction.

In this embodiment it is furthermore preferred that at least in the casethat the cover element is disposed in the open position the firstopening is closed to such an extent that a document of value cannot betransported through the first opening. However, at least in the casethat the cover element is disposed in the respective close position, atransport is possible between the storage area and the processing areathrough the first opening. This embodiment has the advantage that evenif a tool is used, unauthorized access to the storage area from theprocessing area can be prevented, which again increases the security ofthe storage area. To close the first opening any movable element canserve which, upon or after moving the cover element to the openposition, can be moved by at least one coupling element mechanicallycoupled to the cover element or an electrical drive activated byactuating or moving the cover element to the open position. Particularlypreferably the cover element can be shaped and arranged in such afashion that in the open position the cover element closes the firstopening at least partially. This further development allows aparticularly simple construction of the apparatus.

Furthermore in the embodiment in which the storage area is a finalstorage area, it is preferred that in the storage-area housing at leastone further opening to the storage area is arranged, so that through theopenings to the storage area documents of value can be transported intoat least two pockets of a predetermined security container with at leasttwo pockets or into at least two predetermined security containers inthe storage area. For this purpose in the storage area in particularaccommodation devices or retainers or guides for the security containeror security containers can be provided, so that these can be arrangedeasily in a predetermined relative position to the openings. Moreoverthe security containers and the position of the openings in relation toeach other and to the accommodation device or the retainers or guidesare adjusted to each other in such a fashion that the openings in thestorage-area housing allow a transport into the security container orsecurity containers.

In a different embodiment the storage area represents only anintermediate storage area. More exactly, in an intermediate repositoryarranged in a storage area representing an intermediate area theapparatus can furthermore comprise an intermediate repository forintermediately storing at least such documents of value whose propertyfulfills the criterion when checked by the checking device, and a finalstorage device enclosing the final storage area at least partially foraccommodating at least one security container for storing documents ofvalue from the intermediate repository, wherein the storage-area housingrepresents an intermediate-area housing enclosing the intermediate areaand comprising the first opening, through which documents of valuecoming from the checking device can be fed to the intermediaterepository, and a second opening, through which the documents of valueare transportable out of the intermediate repository into the finalstorage area, and in which the storage-area housing element representsan intermediate-area housing element which can be moved back and forthbetween an open position, in which it is possible for an operator toaccess the intermediate repository via an access area, and a closeposition, in which the intermediate area is protected against access byan operator via the access area at least for removing documents ofvalue. Therein the apparatus is furthermore designed in such a way thatthe intermediate repository is protected against access by an operatorat least for removing a document of value stored therein through thefirst opening when the intermediate-area housing element is disposed inthe close position.

Using an intermediate repository is advantageous particularly in thecase in which discrepancies occur between the value of the bank notesdetected upon deposit and the value of the bank notes given in theopinion of the operator. The operator can then abort the depositprocedure, i.e. prevent the transport from the intermediate repositoryto the security container, in order to check the deposit of the banknotes again. After the interruption all bank notes intermediately storedin the intermediate repository can be dispensed to the operator again.

For the transport from the intermediate repository to the final storagearea and thereby to at least one security container disposed therein thesecond opening in the intermediate-area housing is provided. Ifdocuments of value are fed to the intermediate repository from othermodules of the apparatus in the processing area and/or the final storagearea or are output to these by the intermediate repository, theintermediate-area housing can have additional openings corresponding tothe first and/or the second opening. All explanations concerning thefirst opening are optionally valid also for these additional openings.

The intermediate-area housing can for example be formed of sufficientlystable plates, but it can also comprise parts of other constructioncomponents of the apparatus which are for example arranged in theprocessing area and/or final storage area or enclose and/or limit theseareas at least partly.

Since the apparatus is furthermore designed in such a fashion that theintermediate repository is protected against access by an operatorthrough the first opening if the intermediate-area housing element isdisposed in the close position, on the one hand such operators who arenot supposed to have access to the intermediate repository can beenabled to access the processing area and in particular the transportdevice arranged therein, which is most prone to disturbances. Forexample persons depositing documents of value can eliminate possiblyoccurring disturbances in the processing area themselves, without havingto open the intermediate-area housing. Therefore in these cases thepresence of a specially authorized person is not necessary, so thatdisturbances can be eliminated quickly and the availability of theapparatus is increased. On the other hand the intermediate repository isprotected against unauthorized access, so that the deposit of documentsof value can take place with great security. Finally a person who canoperate the locking device can eliminate a disturbance in the area ofthe intermediate repository.

To render access from the processing area to the intermediate storagearea more difficult, it can furthermore be provided that theintermediate repository can be moved relative to the processing areabetween a first position, in which documents of value are transportablethrough the first opening between the intermediate repository and theprocessing area, and a second position, in which at least in the casethat the cover element is disposed in the open position and theintermediate-area housing element is disposed in the close position, atransport of a document of value out of the intermediate repositorythrough the first opening to the processing area is prevented.

It is then particularly preferred that the apparatus comprises at leastone actuating drive for moving the at least one element in theintermediate-area housing or the at least one element of theintermediate housing or the intermediate repository and aposition-detection device for detecting a movement of the cover elementto the open position and/or the reaching of the open position, and thatthe control device is designed in such a fashion that in dependence onsignals of the position detection device and/or data in the positiondetection device for detecting a movement the actuating drive isactivated in such a fashion that a transport between the intermediaterepository and the processing area is possible or not. This embodimenthas the advantage that upon or after moving the cover element to theopen position a possible access to the intermediate repository from theprocessing area is automatically blocked. The position detection devicecan for example comprise a position sensor or movement sensor for thecover element or a device that detects and/or executes and/or stores acommand to electrically move the cover element to the open position orstores corresponding position data reproducing the position of the coverelement. An example for such a device can be the control device.

To secure access from the intermediate storage area to the final storagearea a variety of solutions can be used alternatively or in combination.In a first solution the second opening preferably has the shape of aslot with a width of less than 9 mm, particularly preferably less than 5mm.

In a second solution at least one further element in theintermediate-area housing, a further element of the intermediate-areahousing and/or the intermediate repository can be moved back and forthrelative to the final storage area between a first position, in whichdocuments of value are transportable through the second opening out ofthe intermediate repository into the final storage area, and a secondposition, in which this is not possible. Particularly preferably forthis purpose of outputting documents of value the apparatus has anactuating drive for moving the further element in the intermediate-areahousing and/or the intermediate-area housing and/or the intermediaterepository, and the control device is designed to activate the actuatingdrive in such a fashion that documents of value stored in theintermediate repository are transportable through one of the openings tothe final storage area in dependence on the filling level in thesecurity container and/or in dependence on data input in the controldevice and/or corresponding to their stored property.

Furthermore it is preferred in the apparatus that in theintermediate-area housing at least one further opening to the finalstorage area is arranged, so that through the openings to the finalstorage area documents of value can be transported into at least twopockets of a predetermined security container with at least two pocketsor into at least two predetermined security containers in the finalstorage area. For this purpose in the final storage area in particularaccommodation devices or retainers or guides for the security containeror security containers can be provided, so that these can be arranged ina predetermined relative position to the openings. Moreover the securitycontainers and the position of the openings in relation to each otherand to the accommodation device or the retainers or guides are adjustedto each other in such a fashion that the openings in theintermediate-area housing allow a transport into the security containeror security containers. In the case that the apparatus has a divertingdevice instead of the intermediate repository, the diverting devicepreferably comprises at least one switch that can be activated bysignals, by means of which fed documents of value can be fed to one ofthe openings to the final storage area in dependence on the signals.

If the apparatus has at least two openings from the intermediate area tothe final storage area, it preferably has at least one actuating drivefor moving the further element in or on the intermediate-area housingand/or the further element of the intermediate-area housing and/or theintermediate repository, and for outputting documents of value thecontrol device is designed to activate the actuating drive in such afashion that documents of value stored in the intermediate repositoryare transportable through one of the openings to the final storage areain dependence on the filling level in the security container and/or independence on data input in the control device and/or corresponding totheir stored property. Thus in the case of documents of value in theform of bank notes a sorting, for example according to denomination, canalready take place in an advantageous fashion inside the apparatus.Also, if two security containers or one security container with twopockets are/is used, it is possible, in dependence on the filling levelin at least one of the pockets, to select the opening and thereby thepocket through or into which the following documents of value are to betransported. In particular a change from one of the openings to anotherof the openings can take place if the corresponding pocket is full. Forthis purpose the control device preferably has an interface via whichsignals or data can be received about the filling level in a securitycontainer inserted in the apparatus. Alternatively the control devicecan also detect the number of documents of value output into thesecurity container and select the opening in dependence on this number.Furthermore the data which can be input into the control device via acorresponding input device can for example identify a person ororganization to whom the documents of value are to be allocated. Thecorresponding data can for example be given through the above-describedaccess data.

The embodiment described at the top of the above paragraph generally hasthe further advantage that a distribution of documents of value todifferent pockets of a security container or two different securitycontainers can be achieved without a switch in the final storage area.Preferably thus no switch is arranged in the final storage area either.This has the further advantage that the risk of the occurrence oftransport disturbances in the final storage area can be reducedsubstantially. This is particularly favorable since on the one handoperators who can access the processing area and/or the intermediatearea frequently cannot access the final storage area and thereforecannot eliminate the disturbance there. On the other hand such operatorswho have access to the final storage area, for example securitytransport companies, are rarely present, so that a disturbance in thisarea could drastically reduce the availability of the apparatus.

If the intermediate repository is movable the actuating drive can be thesame in the present embodiment and that described in the precedingparagraph and only has to be activated correspondingly.

The intermediate repository can in principle be designed andaccommodated in the apparatus as desired. In a preferred embodiment ofthe apparatus the intermediate repository can be removed from theapparatus if the intermediate-area housing element is disposed in theopen position. It is thus possible to remove the intermediate repositoryfrom the apparatus for the duration of an operation interval and tostore it in a different safe place without having to remove thedocuments of value intermediately stored therein beforehand. Moreover inthe event of a malfunction of the intermediate repository, in order toeliminate the disturbance the latter can be easily removed and replacedby a different one, so that the availability of the apparatus is notsubstantially limited.

Preferably in the apparatus the intermediate repository comprises a drumrepository and/or a winding repository. A winding repository isunderstood in particular as a repository that is designed in such afashion that sheet-shaped documents of value can be accommodated in asingled state between two belts or bands, wherein the belts or bands orcorresponding sections thereof are wound on a body when a document ofvalue is accommodated between them. Depending on the type of band awinding repository is partly also referred to as film repository. Thisuse of a winding repository has the advantage that documents of valueare intermediately stored in a singled state, so that no singler isrequired in the intermediate area. Also drum repositories, such as forexample described in EP 1 220 167 A1 or EP 0 151 808 A1, or drumrepositories with a variable diameter in dependence on a number ofdocuments of value stored therein can be used. Drum repositories can, independence on their design, have the advantage that the documents ofvalue inside them can be intermediately stored in an already sortedstate, in the case of bank notes for example according to denominations)which can accelerate the output into the security containers.

Particularly preferably the drum repository or winding repository ismounted rotatably or pivotally. An actuating drive provided for theautomatic rotation of the winding repository can in particular have arotary drive or swivel drive for rotating or swiveling the drumrepository or winding repository. This has the advantage that an inputarea and output area of the winding repository, as described above, canbe turned to a position in order to block access to the intermediaterepository in which access to the input area and output area is notnecessary. Furthermore, provided that at least two openings between theintermediate area and the final storage area are used, the intermediaterepository or its input and output can be used for selectively feedingthe intermediately stored documents of value to one of the openings.Moreover the movement of the winding repository requires very littlespace, so that a compact construction of the apparatus can be achieved.

The final storage area is enclosed by the final storage device which ispreferably designed as a safe, and is connected via said opening of theintermediate-area housing with the intermediate area for transportingdocuments of value. Therein the final storage device enclosing the finalstorage area, in particular the safe, and the intermediate-area housingcan have a common wall in which the opening is arranged. The finalstorage device enclosing the final storage area can also have a closingelement which is movable between an open position, in which securitycontainers in the final storage area are accessible, and a closeposition, in which no access is possible to the security container, andwhich can be locked in the close position by means of a further lockingdevice. For the locking device the same variants come into question asfor the locking device for the intermediate-area housing element. Thishas the advantage that an unauthorized removal of a security containerfrom the final storage device is rendered much more difficult orprevented.

To be able to keep the occurrence of disturbances during the transportof documents of value to a minimum in an advantageous fashion, theapparatus is furthermore preferably designed in such a way that on thetransport path of documents of value into the security container orsecurity containers no switch is provided in the final storage area.

According to a further preferred further development in the apparatus anoutput opening can be provided in the intermediate-area housing, throughwhich documents of value can be output to an output pocket from whichthey can be removed.

For outputting documents of value from the intermediate repository theintermediate-area housing can in particular also have an output openingtoward the processing area, through which the documents of value can beoutput from the intermediate repository to the processing area or to apocket of the apparatus that is accessible from the outside.

It can furthermore be preferred that in the apparatus the transport pathprovided by the transport device has a branch along which documents ofvalue can be transported to the final storage device withoutintermediate storage in the intermediate repository. This has theadvantage that the apparatus can also be used for the quick transport ofdocuments of value into security containers.

If locking devices are used for the closing element and/or the coverelement, these can in particular have a common detection device and acommon processor and a common memory, in which at least one program isstored that is executable by the processor for controlling therespective locking devices. The processor and the repository then formpart of one access control unit. Insofar it is preferred that in anapparatus with controllable locking devices for the intermediate-areahousing element and/or the closing element and/or the cover element onesingle detection unit and one single access control device are providedfor controlling the locking mechanisms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following the invention will be explained by way of example withreference to the drawings. The figures are described as follows:

FIG. 1 a schematic lateral view of a bank-note processing apparatusaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention in the form of abank-note deposit apparatus with closed processing-area cover and closedintermediate-area housing,

FIG. 2 a schematic lateral view of the bank-note deposit apparatus inFIG. 1 with opened processing-area cover and closed intermediate-areahousing,

FIG. 3 a schematic lateral view of the bank-note deposit apparatus inFIG. 1 with closed processing-area cover and opened intermediate-areahousing,

FIG. 4 a schematic lateral view of a bank-note processing apparatusaccording to a further preferred embodiment of the invention in the formof a bank-note deposit apparatus with closed processing-area cover andclosed intermediate-area housing,

FIG. 5 a schematic lateral view of a bank-note processing apparatusaccording to another further preferred embodiment of the invention inthe form of a bank-note deposit apparatus with closed processing-areacover and closed intermediate-area housing,

FIGS. 6 a and b schematic partial representations of a transport deviceand an intermediate repository with a diverting device of a bank-noteprocessing apparatus according to a further preferred embodiment of theinvention, in which the intermediate repository and the diverting deviceare disposed in respectively different positions,

FIG. 7 a schematic lateral view of a bank-note deposit apparatus, inwhich instead of an intermediate repository a diverting device with aswitch is provided, and

FIG. 8 a schematic partial sectional view of the bank-note depositapparatus in FIG. 1, in which a cover element is in a release position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A processing apparatus for documents of value according to a preferredembodiment of the invention in FIG. 1 in the form of a bank-noteprocessing apparatus comprises a processing section 10 for inputtingdocuments of value, in the example bank notes 12, in a singled state orin the form of a stack, for processing the documents of value 12 and foroutputting processed documents of value in dependence on a result of theprocessing, an intermediate repository section 14 for intermediatelystoring processed documents of value in an intermediate repository 16, asafe section 18 with a final storage device enclosing a final storagearea 20 in the form of a safe 22 for accommodating security containers24 in the form of cassettes in the final storage area 20 and a controldevice 26 for controlling the apparatus, which is physically allocatedto the processing section in this example.

The processing section 10 has a housing enclosing a processing area 28with a housing base portion 30 and a processing-area cover 32 having acover element 36 linked via a stable hinge 34 to the housing baseportion 30, which cover element can be moved back and forth by swivelingmovements between a close position, in which the processing area 28 iscovered (cf. FIG. 1), and an open position, in which an operator isenabled to access the processing area 28 (cf. FIG. 2), and which coversthe processing area 28 when the cover element 36 is in the closeposition.

For feeding documents of value 12, in particular in the form of a stack,an input pocket 38 is arranged in or on the cover element 36. Documentsof value 12 in the input pocket 38 during operation are singled via asingler 40 of the apparatus in the housing base portion 32. The singleddocuments of value 12 are then transported by means of a transportdevice 42, which in the example has, among other things, at least onedrive which is not shown in the figures, transport rollers or driverollers 44 and transport bands or belts 46 guided between and/or aroundthe transport rollers or drive rollers 44, along a transport path 48from the singler 40 past or through a sensor device 50 of a checkingdevice 52 arranged in the processing area 28 for checking documents ofvalue, here bank notes, up to a first opening 54 in an intermediate-areahousing 56.

The checking device 52 serves to check several properties of a documentof value or of a bank note according to predetermined partial criteriaof an authenticity criterion, and for this purpose has the sensor device50 connected to the control device 26 via signal connections, which isarranged on both sides of the transport path 48 and, for detecting theproperties, has corresponding sensor elements not shown in the figures,which upon detecting the properties generate corresponding sensorsignals which are processed in an evaluation device of the controldevice 26.

Along the transport path 48 downstream of the sensor device 50 a pointswitch 58 switchable through electrical switch signals is arranged, bymeans of which, in dependence on the switch signals, documents of valuecan be fed from the transport path 48 via an output transport device 60to a first output pocket 62 in the processing area 28, which isaccessible via an opening or a slot in the cover element 36.

This results in an essentially straight course of the transport pathfrom the singler 40 to the first opening 54 in the intermediate-areahousing 56. In particular the transport path to the first opening 54determined by the transport device is unfolded, thereby substantiallyreducing the occurrence risk of transport disturbances in the processingarea.

The processing-area cover 32 and in particular its cover element 36linked to the housing base portion 30 via the hinge 34 are designed andarranged in such a fashion that, when the cover element 36 is disposedin the open position, an operator has access to the complete transportpath 48 from the singler 40 up to the first opening 54. Due to thearrangement of the swivel axis of the cover element 36 parallel to aplane determined by the transport path 48 the hinge 34 can hold thecover element 36 in a very stable manner. Moreover the swiveling of thecover element 36 between the open position and the close positionrequires only little space.

A stacker wheel arrangement 66 arranged in the processing area 28upstream of an output opening 64 of the intermediate-area housing 56serves to output singled documents of value to a second output pocket68.

In the processing area 28 furthermore the control device 26 is arranged,which among other things is connected via signal connections to anaccess-data detection device 70 in the form of a chip-card reader and adata input and output device 72 in the form of a touch-sensitive displayfield or touch screen in the cover element 36.

For locking the cover element 36 in the close position in the processingarea 28 furthermore a locking device 74 that is connected to the controldevice 26 via a signal connection and controllable through lockingsignals is arranged, which in this example also serves as a closingdevice for moving the cover element 36 from a predetermined releaseposition lying between the open position and the close position to theclose position. The locking device has an actuator 77 held on thehousing base portion 30, more exactly a stepper motor with a threadshaft 79, more exactly a trapezoidal spindle, and a thread element 81that is complementary to the thread shaft and is held on or implementedwithin the cover element 36, in the example a nut fixed to the coverelement 36 or an internal thread in the cover element 36 (cf. FIG. 8).In a different embodiment the positions of the actuator 77 with thethread shaft and of the complementary thread element can also beinterchanged. The thread shaft protrudes over the edge of the housingbase portion 30 to such an extent that the cover element 36 in therelease position (cf. FIG. 8) does not rest on the housing base portion30, i.e. the housing is closed, and the complementary thread elementonly rests on the thread shaft, so that the cover element 36 can bemanually moved to the open position. For moving the cover element 36 tothe close position it is first manually moved to the release position,the reaching of which is detected by means of a suitable sensor, forexample a light barrier. Upon reaching the release position andreceiving corresponding locking signals the actuator 77 turns the threadshaft, so that the threads of the thread shaft 79 and the complementarythread element 81 engage with each other and the cover element 36 ispulled against the housing base portion 30. Upon reaching the closeposition the actuator 77 is switched off whereby the cover element 36 islocked in the close position. For opening the actuator 77 is operated inthe reverse direction, until the cover element has reached the releaseposition. A monitoring device or position detection device, which inthis example has a switching element 75 actuated only in the closeposition, here an interrupt 75 switchable by moving the cover element 36into the or out of the close position and connected to the controldevice 26 via a signal connection, serves to monitor the position of thecover element 36, more exactly to monitor whether the cover element 36is disposed in the close position.

The intermediate storage section 14 comprises the intermediate-areahousing 56 enclosing an intermediate area 76, the intermediaterepository 16 arranged in the intermediate area 76, in the example awinding repository, which is movable, in the example turnable, relativeto the intermediate-area housing 56 by an actuating drive 78 connectedto the control device 26 via a signal connection, as well as transportelements—not shown in the figures for the sake of clarity—fortransporting documents of value 12 from an input and output opening 80in the intermediate repository 16 to the processing area 28 or the safesection 18 or from the processing area 28 to the input and outputopening 80 of the intermediate repository 16.

The intermediate-area housing 56 is formed by a section of the safe 22,side walls 82 and an intermediate-area housing element 86 held movably,in particular pivotally, on one of the side walls 82 via a stable hinge84, which element 86 can be moved back and forth between a closeposition shown in FIG. 1 and an open position shown in FIG. 3, in whichthe intermediate repository is accessible via an access area, here thearea above the opening of the base portion of the intermediate storagehousing, formed by the section of the safe 22 and the side walls 82.

The first opening 54 in the intermediate-area housing 56, through whichthe documents of value can be transported back and forth between theintermediate area 76 and the processing area 28, is formed by theintermediate-area housing element 86 and one of the side walls 82disposed opposite.

In the intermediate-area housing 86, more exactly the upper wall of thesafe 22, a second opening 88 and a further opening 90 are implemented,through which documents of value are transportable out of theintermediate area 76 to the final storage area 20 enclosed by the safe22. The width of the slot-shaped openings 88 and 90 is chosen in such afashion that these allow the automatic transport of documents of value,in the example bank notes, through them, however any manual access fromthe final storage area 20 to the intermediate repository 16 or from theintermediate area 76 to the final storage area 20 for removing documentsof value is impossible or at least impossible without special tools. Inthe example they have a width of approximately 7 mm.

In the intermediate-area housing 86, more exactly the side wall 82facing the processing area 28, the output opening 64 is implemented,through which the documents of value are transportable out of theintermediate repository 16 to the stacker-wheel arrangement 66. Like theopenings 88 and 90 the width of the slot-shaped output opening 64 ischosen in such a fashion that it allows the automatic transport ofdocuments of value, in the example bank notes, through it, however anymanual access from the processing area 28 to the intermediate repository16 for removing documents of value is impossible or at least impossiblewithout special tools. In the example it also has a width ofapproximately 7 mm.

In the close position the intermediate-area housing element 86 locks theintermediate-area housing 56 except for the openings 54 and 64 to theprocessing area and the openings 88 and 90 to the final storage area 20,so that any access by persons to the intermediate area 76 and inparticular the intermediate repository 16 at least for removingdocuments of value from the outside is prevented. In contrast, in theopen position persons can access the intermediate repository 16.

A locking device 92 that is electrically operable through lockingsignals, in the example an electromagnet which is held on the side wall82 and interacts with a magnetizable element on the intermediate-areahousing element 86, serves to lock the intermediate-area housing element86 in the close position. For transmitting the signals the lockingdevice 92 is connected to the control device 26 via a signal connection.

The intermediate repository 16 itself is mounted pivotally in theintermediate-area housing 56 in such a fashion that it can simply beremoved from the intermediate-area housing 56 if the intermediate-areahousing element 86 is in the open position.

Furthermore on the first opening 54 a trailing-edge sensor 94 isarranged for detecting the trailing edge of a document of value withreference to the transport direction into the intermediate repository 16and emitting a corresponding trailing-edge detection signal to thecontrol device 26. In this embodiment for this purpose the trailing-edgesensor 94 comprises a light barrier with a transmitter and a receiver.The transport path from the first opening 54 to the intermediaterepository 16 lies in the detection range of the light barrier betweenthe transmitter and the receiver. A detection circuit of thetrailing-edge sensor 94 detects when the receiver is firstre-illuminated by the transmitter after an unilluminated phase, astaking place during the passage of a document of value at its trailingedge, and then emits the trailing-edge detection signal.

The safe 22 for safely storing the security container 24 of apredetermined type has a closing element 96 that is movable back andforth between an open position and a close position and is linked via ahinge, in the example a door, through which, when it is disposed in itsopen position, security containers 24 can be inserted in the finalstorage area 20 or removed therefrom. However, in the close position, inthe example in the figures a position in which the closing element 96 isdisposed in the plane of projection, the safe 22 is closed by theexception of the openings 88 and 90 and is secured against access. Anelectrical safe locking device 98 connected to the control device 26 viaa locking-signal connection serves to lock the closing element 96 in theclose position, in the example an electrically controllable actuator andlocking bolts that can be moved thereby, which can be operated throughlocking signals from the control device 26.

To ensure a suitable position of security containers in the safe 22 fortransporting documents of value from the intermediate repository 16 intothe security containers 82 the safe 22 has a positioning device 100 withguides for accommodating the security containers 24 in a predeterminedposition relative to the safe 22 and consequently to the openings 88 and90. The positioning device 100 and the openings 88 and 90 are arrangedand designed in adjustment with the security containers 24 in such afashion that in the case that the security containers 24 are arranged inthe positioning device 100 documents of value are transportable throughthe openings 88 and 90 into respectively one of the security containers24. The apparatus can of course also be operated with only one securitycontainer.

The control device 26 serves to control the apparatus and for thispurpose, in addition to interfaces to the individual components of theapparatus to be controlled and sensors, has a memory 102 in which amongother things a computer program with instructions is stored, and aprocessor 104 which upon executing the instructions carries out thefunctions or method steps described in the following.

The control device 26 in connection with the switching element orinterrupt 75 in these embodiments represents in particular also aposition detection device for detecting a movement of the cover element36 into the close position, more exactly the reaching of the closeposition. For this purpose signals from the interrupt 75 triggered bythe movement of the cover element 36 out of the close position or intothe close position are detected and in dependence on the signalsdetected a corresponding date is stored or deleted in the memory 102.The control device 26 is furthermore designed to control the actuatingdrive 78 in dependence on data in the position detection device, i.e.here the interrupt 75 in connection with the control device 26, in sucha fashion that a transport between the intermediate repository 16 andthe processing area 28 is possible or not.

In this example the control device 26 also comprises an access controldevice 106 schematically represented in FIG. 1 by a rectangle, whichuses signals or data detected by the detection device 70 for access dataand the data input and output device 72 to identify accessauthorizations for the processing area 28, the intermediate area 76 andthe final storage area 20 or the safe 22.

In the access control device 106, more exactly a section of the memory102, as first and second access data identification data for users arestored which are assigned uniquely to the respective users, and a codeassigned to the first access data and access authorization data assignedto the first access data showing which areas of the apparatus areintended to be accessible for the user.

Each user of the apparatus has a chip card 108 for identifying his/heridentity vis-à-vis the apparatus. The chip card 108 contains, preferablyin an encrypted form, the first access data in the form of theidentification data for the respective user.

In this embodiment three groups of operators are provided. The firstgroup has access exclusively to the operation area 28, but not to theintermediate area 76 or the final storage area 20, the second group hasaccess to both the processing area 28 and the intermediate area 76, butnot to the final storage area 20, and the third group finally has accessexclusively to the final storage area 20, but not to the processing area28 or the intermediate area 76. Typical operators of the first group canfor example be cashiers, who deposit money taken in at a cash desk fortransport by a security transport company. Operators of the third groupcan for example be persons from the security transport company whoremove the security containers 82 with the documents of value storedtherein, here bank notes, from the safe 27 and transport them forexample to a commercial bank or a so-called cash center. Persons of thesecond group can for example be particularly trustworthy persons whowere trained in using the apparatus in such a fashion that they cancarry out simple maintenance works on the apparatus, in particulareliminate a transport disturbance.

The apparatus works in the following manner.

First a registration of an operator with the apparatus takes place,during which also a check for the access authorization to the apparatusis checked.

For this purpose the access control device 106 carries out a check onthe basis of access data whether predetermined access criteria arefulfilled. Here two criteria are checked. On the one hand it is checkedwhether the first access data, i.e. the identification data, correspondto stored identification data. On the other hand it is checked whethersecond access data of the operator correspond to the code assigned tothe identification data. Only then is the operator allowed to use theapparatus and, depending on the operator, access is granted to differentareas of the apparatus.

Thus an operator first inserts his chip card 108 in the detection device70, which subsequently detects the access data on the chip card 108 andemits corresponding access signals to the access control device 106, inthe example implemented by a corresponding part of the control device26. As access criterion it is determined here whether the first accessdata are assigned to an authorized person. Furthermore, via the datainput and output device 72, the access control device 106 requests acode assigned to the detected access data as second access data. Theoperator enters his code via the data input and output device 72 intothe access control device 106, which compares the code detected by meansof the data input and output device 72 with the second access data, i.e.the code, corresponding to the detected first access data. In the casethat the data are consistent, a data set is assigned to the operatorwhich contains among other things the date and the time and which in thefurther course of the operation is complemented by data on theoperation. Furthermore it is determined corresponding to the data storedin the memory 102 which areas the operator can access, and correspondingdata are temporarily stored.

Now the access control device 26 inquires via the data input and outputdevice 72 which one of several possible operation modes the operatorwishes to use. The control device then reads corresponding data enteredby the operator via the data input and output device 72 and activatesthe apparatus to operate in the selected operation mode.

The first operation mode described in the following serves fordepositing documents of value in the security containers 24 while thevalue of the documents of value, in the example bank notes, is detectedsimultaneously. The control device 26 permits this operation mode onlyfor such operators who belong to the first or the second group.

The control device 26 subsequently checks whether the intermediaterepository 16 is disposed in an input position with its input and outputopening 80 in front of the first opening 54, so that bank notes can betransported through this opening into the intermediate repository 16. Ifthis is not the case it activates the actuating drive 78 in such afashion that the intermediate repository 16 with its input and outputopening 80 is turned into the input position.

The operator places a stack of documents of value 12 into the inputpocket 38. The control device 26 requests the start of the deposit viathe data input and output device 72. Upon detecting a correspondingsignal it activates the transport device 42 and the singler 40 in such afashion that the bank notes 12 of the stack are fed in a singled stateto the transport path, where they are guided by the transport device 42along the transport path 48 firstly through the sensor device 50. Itdetects properties for each bank note in the way known in the art,generating corresponding signals. In this embodiment these are evaluatedin an evaluation device implemented through the control device 26, inwhose memory 102 corresponding instructions for the processor 104 arestored for this function.

On the basis of the signals of the sensor device 50 it is determined ina known fashion which denomination the checked bank note has, whether itis recognized as authentic according to at least one authenticitycriterion, for example the absence of fluorescence during irradiationwith UV radiation, and whether it is deemed fit for circulation.

In the case that upon checking for authenticity and fitness forcirculation the control device 26 detects that the bank note is notauthentic and/or not fit for circulation according to the checkedcriterion or is also oriented obliquely to the predetermined transportdirection in the transport path, it activates the point switch 58 insuch a fashion that the bank note is transported into the first outputpocket 62 by the output transport device 60.

Otherwise it activates the point switch 58 in such a fashion that thebank note is transported through the first opening 54 into theintermediate repository 16, which is disposed in the input direction,and is stored there.

During the process the trailing-edge sensor 94 detects continuouslywhether an edge of a bank note that is a trailing edge with reference tothe transport direction has passed its detection range and in this caseemits a corresponding signal to the control device 26, whichsubsequently stores the position of the bank note in the sequence of thebank notes stored in the intermediate repository 16 and the value of thebank note according to the denomination.

During the deposit the singler 40 checks by means of a detection devicewhether there is another bank note to be drawn in. If this is no longerthe case, it emits a signal to the control device 26. When the last banknote has been checked and transported either into the first outputpocket 62 or into the intermediate repository 16, the control device 26inquires via the data input and output device 72 whether further banknotes are to be deposited. If this is the case, the feeding is continuedas described above. Otherwise, after receipt of the corresponding usersignal from the data input and output device 72 the control device 26moves, i.e. here turns, the intermediate repository 16 into one of twooutput positions which are indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1. In thefirst or second output position the input and output opening 80 of theintermediate repository 16 is disposed in front of the second opening 88or the further opening 90, so that a bank note transported out of theintermediate repository 16 can be transported through the second openingor the further opening 90 into the corresponding security container 82without using a switch.

In the following three alternatives are described by way of example ofhow the control device 50 distributes the stored documents of value tothe security containers 24, more exactly their pockets.

To explain a first alternative it is assumed in order to simplify theexample that corresponding to the number of the security containers 24only two denominations are input.

The control device 26, in which the storage sequence of the bank notesin the intermediate repository 16 is stored, in accordance with the FILOstorage principle of the winding repository used here as intermediaterepository 16 detects the next bank note to be output into one of thesecurity containers 24 in the intermediate repository 16 and itsdenomination, and, by activating the actuating drive 78 corresponding tothe detected denomination, moves the intermediate repository 16 into thefirst or second output position in which the bank note in question isoutput to the corresponding security container 24.

In a second alternative a maximum number of documents of value to beoutput into one of the security containers 24 are stored in the controldevice 50. The control device 50 activates the actuating drive 78 insuch a fashion that at first documents of value are transported onlythrough one of the openings 88 or 90 into the corresponding securitycontainer 24 and detects the number of the documents of valuetransported into this security container since the insertion of the thenempty security containers 24 into the apparatus. It permanently carriesout a comparison between the number of documents of value transportedinto the security container and the maximum number. Only uponrecognizing that the maximum number was reached, it activates theactuating drive 78 in such a fashion that the intermediate repository 16with its input and output opening 80 is turned in front of the recentlyunused opening, so that subsequently the other security container 24 canbe filled with the documents of value stored in the intermediaterepository 16. In this manner a security transport company has to becalled less frequently to collect the documents of value, therebyincreasing the availability of the apparatus.

In a third alternative the security containers 24 are respectivelyassigned to different organization, for example the security container24 below the opening 88 to the organization A and the security container24 below the opening 90 to the organization B. When the depositingperson is identified the control device 26 detects through readingcorresponding data identifying the organization or using a table inwhich a code for the respective organization is stored for eachauthorized user the organization for which the user deposits documentsof value and activates the actuating drive 78 in such a fashion that theintermediate repository 16 with its input and output opening 80 abovethe opening 88 or 90 assigned to the security container for thecorresponding organization and transports the documents of value fromthe intermediate repository 16 to the security container assigned to therespective organization. The apparatus can thus be commonly used by twocompletely different organizations, without the danger of an erroneousassignment of the deposited documents of value to the organizations.Such an apparatus is for example particularly suitable for use inshopping malls with a plurality of small shops which can use theapparatus together.

After emptying the intermediate repository 16 the value of the banknotes transported into the security containers 24 is determined and isstored including an assignation to the operator. The value can also beoutput via a printer not shown in the figures.

Due to the use of the two openings 88 and 90 to the safe 22 and therotatability of the intermediate repository 16 no switches, which couldlead to transport disturbances, are necessary or also provided in thefinal storage area 20.

The usual deposit procedure is concluded therewith.

In the case that the operator thinks that the detected value does notcorrespond to the assumed value, he can prompt the control device 26 toswitch to a different operation mode by making a request via the datainput and output device 72. There the control device 26 activates theactuating drive 78 in such a fashion that it turns the intermediaterepository 16 with its input and output opening 80 in front of theoutput opening 64. The control device 26 then prompts the intermediaterepository 16 to feed all documents of value contained therein throughthe output opening 64 to the stacker-wheel arrangement 66, by means ofwhich the stored documents of value can be stacked in the second outputpocket 68. The stored value and a credit entry that has possibly beenmade are then deleted.

As mentioned above in the normal deposit procedure disturbances canoccur during transport, which are detected in a known fashion by thecontrol device 26 on the basis of signals from corresponding sensorsalong the transport path, for example light barriers, which are notshown in the figures. When the intermediate repository 16 is filled,i.e. during transport from the input pocket 38 along the transport path48 disturbances can occur in the area of the singler 40, the sensordevice 50 and the point switch 58. The sensors are arranged in suchpositions where the greatest disturbance risk is given, for exampledownstream of the singler, upstream of the point switch 58 and upstreamof the first opening 54.

In the case that the control device 26 detects a disturbance, itswitches to a further operation mode and, via the data input and outputdevice 72, outputs an indication that a disturbance has occurred and thelocation of the disturbance in a schematic representation of thetransport path, as well as a request for the elimination of thedisturbance. At the same time the control device 26 actuates the lockingdevice 74, so that the latter allows a movement of the cover element 36to the open position. In this embodiment for this purpose the drive isactivated in such a fashion that the cover element 36 is unlocked by thelocking device 74, so that it can be moved to the open position, theoperator gains access to the processing area 28 and can eliminate thedisturbance.

Upon detecting the open command the control device 26 as positiondetection device stores a corresponding date in its memory 102. Whenthis date is given, it activates the actuating drive 78 in such a mannerthat the intermediate repository 16 is turned into a protectiveposition, in which the input and output opening 80 is not arranged infront of one of the openings in the intermediate-area housing 56 and itis consequently impossible to access the intermediate repository 16 fromthe processing area 28 through the first opening 54 or the outputopening 64.

Upon reaching the open position the control device 26 requests theclosing of the cover element 36 via the data input and output device 72.Simultaneously it monitors the position detection device, more exactlythe interrupt 75, as to whether the cover element 36 is disposed in theclose position. After the cover element 36 was moved to the closeposition and hence the interrupt 75 was operated emitting acorresponding signal, the control device 50 receives the signal andafter evaluating the signal activates the first locking device 74 insuch a fashion that the cover element 36 is locked in the closeposition. Furthermore it deletes the date from the memory 102 andactivates the actuating drive 78 in such a fashion that it turns theintermediate repository 16 to an input position in which bank notes canbe transported from the processing area 28 through the first opening 54into the intermediate repository.

Afterwards the control device 26 automatically continues the processingof the bank notes.

Furthermore disturbances can occur in the intermediate area 76. Whensuch a disturbance is detected by the control device 26 it switches to afurther operation mode and stops the transport device 42, so that nofurther documents of value are transported into the intermediate area76. Since for eliminating a disturbance it is necessary to move theintermediate-area housing element 86 to the open position and theintermediate repository 16 is consequently accessible, the controldevice stores the detected data about the documents of value stored inthe intermediate repository 16 and displays the location of thedisturbance on the data input and output device 72.

Now a person belonging to the third group can register in the mannercorresponding to the operator. After registration he can instruct thecontrol device 26 by means of a corresponding entry in the data inputand output device 72 to operate the locking device 92, so that theintermediate-area housing element 86 can be moved to the open position.Now access can be gained to the complete intermediate area 76 and theperson can remove a document of value causing the disturbance and/orreplace the intermediate repository 16.

After eliminating the disturbance the person can move theintermediate-area housing element 86 to the close position and promptthe control device 26 by operating the data input and output device 72to lock the intermediate-area housing element 86 in the close positionby means of the locking device 92.

After eliminating the disturbance the apparatus can be further operatedin a normal manner.

For removing the security containers 24 a person of the second group canregister with the apparatus analogously to the above-mentioned persons,which checks the access authorization as above and switches to a furtheroperation mode.

The control device 26 inquires via the data input and output device 72whether the closing element 96 of the safe 22 is to be moved in its openposition. Upon a corresponding entry the control device 26 activates thelocking device 98 in such a fashion that the closing element 96 whichwas locked before by the locking device 98 is unlocked and can be movedto the open position. In this state a movement of the cover element 36or of the intermediate-area housing element 86 out of the respectiveclose position is impossible due to the corresponding locking devices.

Furthermore the control device activates the actuating drive 78 in sucha fashion that it turns the intermediate repository 16 to theabove-mentioned security position, so that it is impossible to accessthe intermediate repository 16 from the final storage area 20 via theopenings 88 and 90.

After removing the security containers 24 and moving the closing element96 to its close position the operator can respond to an inquiry by thecontrol device 26 made via the data input and output device 72 whetherthe closing element 96 is to be locked by making an entry, upon whichthe control device 26 activates the locking device 98 in such a mannerthat the closing element 96 is locked in its close position.

Another preferred embodiment in FIG. 4 differs from the first embodimentonly in that along the transport path in the locations in which sensors110, for example light barriers, are arranged for detecting transportdisturbances, signal devices 112, in this example light emitting diodes,are provided which are activated by the control device 26 when adisturbance was detected in the respective location. Merely for the sakeof clarity in FIG. 4 some of the reference numerals in FIG. 1designating unchanged elements have been left out. Also for the sake ofclarity in FIG. 4 only some of the signal devices 112 are represented.Signal devices 112 are i.e. disposed upstream and downstream of thesingler 40, on the point switch 58, upstream of the first opening 54 andthe rollers 44, on the first output pocket 62, on the stacker wheelarrangement 66 and on the second output pocket 68. For detecting thelocation of a disturbance the control device 26 monitors correspondingsignals from the sensors 110 and upon detecting a disturbance on thebasis of the signals activates the signal device 112 arranged in thelocation of the sensor detecting the disturbance. In this way also aninexperienced operator can easily find the location of the disturbanceand eliminate it quickly. In parallel the location of the disturbancecan also be displayed on the data input and output device 72.

Further preferred embodiments can differ from the above-describedembodiments in that the detection device, i.e. the chip card reader, isreplaced by a fingerprint sensor, a microphone or a camera and forevaluating the data the control device 26 has corresponding instructionsof a computer program, in the execution of which by the control device26 the detected signals from the detection device are used forrecognizing a fingerprint or for recognizing a voice or for recognizingthe retina background.

Furthermore, if a chip card writing and reading device is used insteadof the chip card reader, the value of the deposited documents of valueor bank notes can be written on the inserted chip card and stored there.

A further preferred embodiment differs from the first embodiment only inthat in front of the openings in the intermediate-area housing 56closing elements 116 of the intermediate housing 56 are arranged, whichare movable via actuating drives 114 and which are arranged on theintermediate housing 56, closing the opening in a close position andreleasing them in an open position in the different operation modes.This is illustrated in FIG. 5, where some of the reference numerals inFIG. 1 designating unchanged elements have been left out merely for thesake of clarity.

The control device 26 is modified in such a fashion that for closing oropening the openings in the intermediate-area housing 56 it does notactivate the actuating drive 98 for the intermediate repository 16, butat least one of the actuating drives 114.

Yet another preferred embodiment differs from the first embodiment inthat for detecting the position of the cover element 36 in the controldevice 26 a corresponding state date is set upon executing an opening orclosing command, so that the control device 25 already serves asposition detection device in this case. The drive is preferably designedin such a way that it serves as locking device simultaneously.

The apparatus can also be operated with only one security container, forwhich purpose the movement of the intermediate repository 16 iscontrolled correspondingly.

A further embodiment partly shown in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b differs from thefirst embodiment in that a diverter 118 for diverting documents of valueis statically mounted on the intermediate repository 16 and can beturned or swiveled with it, that the distance between the first opening54 and the output opening 64 and the input and output rollers of thediverter 118 are adjusted to each other, so that documents of value, inthe example bank notes, as shown in FIG. 6 b, can be transported throughthe first opening 54 into the diverter 118, diverted by it and outputthrough the output opening 64 via the stacker wheel arrangement 66 intothe second output pocket 68. Furthermore the transport device isdesigned as a pure roller transport device. Finally the control device26 differs from the control device of the first embodiment in that foroperation in a counting mode it is now designed to move the intermediaterepository 16 through activating the drive 78 in such a fashion thatdocuments of value can be transported through the first opening 454 intothe diverter 118 and from there to the output opening 64, and todetermine the value of the documents of value output through the outputopening 64 in this mode and to output it via the data input and outputdevice 72. All other components are unchanged, so that also for thesethe same reference numerals were used as in the first embodiment and theexplanations made there are correspondingly valid here.

By inputting corresponding commands via the data input and output device72 a user can switch the control device 26 to a deposit mode, in whichthe apparatus works as described in the first embodiment, or to thecounting mode.

In the case that the counting mode is selected the control device 26 byactivating the drive 78 turns the intermediate repository 16 andconsequently the diverter 118 to a diverting position, in which banknotes are transported through the first opening 54 into the diverter 118and are diverted by it to the output opening 64, from where they arestacked via the stacker wheel arrangement 66 in the second output pocket68. The user now places a stack of bank notes in the input pocket 38,from where they are transported past the sensor device 50 for checkingand, if the check is successful, transported along the described pathinto the second output pocket 68. During the check the denominations ofthe bank notes are determined and summed up in the control device 26.After processing the last bank note of the stack the control device 26outputs the determined total value via the data input and output device72.

However, if the user selects the normal deposit mode, the control device26 turns the intermediate repository 16 into the storage position shownin FIG. 6 a, in which bank notes can be transported through the firstopening 54 into the input and output opening 80 of the intermediaterepository 16, and carries out the procedure described in connectionwith the first embodiment.

Therefore the apparatus cannot only be used for depositing documents ofvalue or bank notes, but also for counting bank notes.

In a further different embodiment the transport path provided by thetransport device can have a branch along which documents of value can betransported to the final storage device, i.e. the safe 22 or thesecurity containers 24 therein, without intermediate storage in theintermediate repository 16. For this purpose in the transport pathdownstream of the point switch 58 a further switch is arranged that iscontrollable by the control device 26, by means of which transport viathe additional branch can take place selectively.

A further embodiment in FIG. 7 differs from the first embodiment in thatthe intermediate storage area including the intermediate repository andthe intermediate-area housing is omitted, so that after checkingdocuments of value can be transported in dependence on the checkingresult to the storage area 126, which otherwise corresponds to the finalstorage area 20 in the first embodiment and is unchanged in comparisonthereto. In particular the storage-area housing now represents the finalstorage device or the safe 22. The first opening in the sense of theclaims now is the opening 88. The movable cover element 128 now extendsover the surface of the complete housing base portion 130 which nowextends beyond the storage area 126 but otherwise has the features ofthe first embodiment, however otherwise it has the same features as thecover element of the first embodiment, Instead of the intermediaterepository 26 downstream of the transport path or the opening 54downstream of the switch 58 a diverter is arranged which has a switch120 that is connected to the control device 36 via a signal connectionand can be activated by it through switch signals and two furthertransport devices 122 and 124 in the form of curved sections leadingfrom the switch 120 to the openings 88 and 90 from the intermediate area76 to the safe 22. The transport path in the sense of the invention nowextends from the singler 40 to the opening 80. The diverter and thefollowing transport device 124 determine a further branch of thetransport path which preferably does not extend in a folded manner up tothe opening 90 and is accessible for an operator for eliminatingtransport disturbances along the complete branch, if the cover element128 is disposed in the open position. The output opening 64, the stackerwheel arrangement 66 and the second output 68 are omitted. The controldevice is now designed to activate the switch 120. All other componentsare unchanged, so that the same reference numerals are used for them andthe explanations made concerning the first embodiment are also validhere. In dependence on the authentication of the depositing person orthe filling degree of the security container 24 the control device 26now activates the diverter, more exactly the switch 120, in the examplea point switch, in such a fashion that documents of value or bank notesfed to it are fed by one of the further transport devices 122 or 124through the corresponding opening 88 or 90 into the storage area 126 orthe corresponding security containers 24 therein.

In all described embodiments and also in general the apparatus can bedesigned in such a fashion that the documents of value are transportedwith the direction of their largest extension parallel to the transportdirection (lengthwise transport), however, preferably the transporttakes place in the transverse direction, wherein the documents of valueare transported with the direction of their largest extension orlengthwise direction transverse to the transport direction.

1. An apparatus for processing documents of value comprising a checkingdevice arranged to check documents of value for at least one property ofa document of value according to at least an authenticity criterion,having a sensor device arranged in a processing area enclosed by aprocessing-area housing for detecting the property; a storage-areahousing enclosing and securing against unauthorized access a storagearea in which documents of value recognized by the checking device asauthentic according to the criterion are to be stored and which has afirst opening through which the documents of value are transportable outof the processing area into the storage area; a transport devicearranged in the processing area to transport in a singled statedocuments of value fed along a transport path from an input device forinputting documents of value in a singled state or a singler to thechecking device and from the checking device to the storage area; aprocessing-area cover, which is part of the processing-area housing,having a cover element which is movable back and forth between a closedposition at which the processing area is covered by the processing-areacover and an open position at which access to the transport path fromthe input device or the singler to the checking device and from thechecking device to the storage area is enabled; and a closing devicewith a drive that can be activated by closing signals, which, upon theactivation of the drive by a closing signal, moves the cover elementfrom a release position lying between the open position and the closedposition into the closed position.
 2. The apparatus according to claim1, in which the processing-area cover has only one movable coverelement.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, in which the coverelement serves as a carrier for parts of the checking device and/or thetransport device.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which thecover element is arranged to be turned or swiveled around an axissubstantially parallel to a plane defined by the transport path.
 5. Theapparatus according to claim 1, in which the transport path from theinput device or the singler to the storage area extends in an unfoldedfashion.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which the transportpath extends in a substantially straight line.
 7. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, including a control device arranged to detect andstore at least one property of documents of value transported into thestorage area which was recognized during the check by the checkingdevice.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, in which the controldevice is arranged to detect an end of the transport of documents ofvalue into the storage area, and upon detecting such end to determine acumulative property of the documents of value stored in the storagearea.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, including a signal devicearranged to display the location along the transport path to the storagearea in which the occurrence of a transport error was detected.
 10. Theapparatus according to claim 1, in which the first opening has the shapeof a slot with a width of less than 9 mm.
 11. The apparatus according toclaim 1, in which the storage-area housing has a storage-area housingelement which is movable back and forth between an open position, inwhich an operator is enabled to access the storage area via an accessarea, and a closed position, in which the storage-area housing elementprotects the storage area against access by an operator via the accessarea at least for removing documents of value; and a locking devicearranged to lock the storage-area housing element in the closedposition.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, in which the lockingdevice is electrically and/or pneumatically and/or hydraulicallycontrollable.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, including at leastone access-data detection device arranged to detect access data and atleast one access control device connected with the access-data detectiondevice via a signal connection that enables checking of detected accessdata for the fulfillment of at least one predetermined access criterionand controlling a locking device in dependence on the check.
 14. Theapparatus according to claim 13, in which the access-data detectiondevice comprises a reading device arranged to read access data from amobile data carrier or data memory.
 15. The apparatus according to claim13, in which the access data comprise biometric data of an operator andthe access-data detection device comprises a device capable of detectingthe biometric data.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which atleast one element in the storage-area housing or the processing areaand/or one element of the storage-area housing is movable relative tothe processing area between a first position, at which documents ofvalue are transportable through the first opening between the storagearea and the processing area, and a second position, at which at least,in the case that the cover element is disposed in the open position andthe storage-area housing element is disposed in the closed position,transportation of a document of value out of the storage area throughthe first opening to the processing area is prevented.
 17. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, in which the storage-area housing comprises afinal storage device arranged to accommodate at least one securitycontainer capable of storing documents of value, which containerencloses the storage area at least partially and includes the firstopening.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, in which at least, inthe case that the cover element is disposed in the open position, thefirst opening is closed to such an extent that transportation of adocument of value through the first opening is prevented.
 19. Theapparatus according to claim 1, in which in an intermediate-area housingat least one further opening to the storage area is arranged, so thatthrough the openings to the storage area documents of value aretransportable into at least two pockets of a predetermined securitycontainer having at least two pockets or into at least two predeterminedsecurity containers in the storage area.
 20. An apparatus for processingdocuments of value comprising: a checking device arranged to checkdocuments of value for at least one property of a document of valueaccording to at least an authenticity criterion using a sensor devicearranged in a processing area for detecting the property; a storage-areahousing enclosing and securing against unauthorized access a storagearea in which documents of value recognized by the checking device asauthentic according to the criterion are to be stored and which has afirst opening through which the documents of value are transportable outof the processing area into the storage area a transport device arrangedin the processing area to transport in a singled state documents ofvalue fed along a transport path from an input device for inputtingdocuments of value in a singled state or a singler to the checkingdevice and from the checking device to the storage area; aprocessing-area cover having a cover element which is movable back andforth between a closed position at which the processing area is coveredby the processing-area cover and an open position at which access to thetransport path from the input device or the singler to the checkingdevice and from the checking device to the storage area is enabled; anda signal device arranged to display the location along the transportpath to the storage area in which the occurrence of a transport errorwas detected; wherein the signal device has at least two light sourcesarranged along the transport path; and in which the control device isarranged and connected to the signal device in such a fashion that, upondetecting the location of a disturbance, the light source which isclosest to the location of the disturbance is switched to a differentoperating state.
 21. An apparatus for processing documents of valuecomprising: a checking device arranged to check documents of value forat least one property of a document of value according to at least anauthenticity criterion using a sensor device arranged in a processingarea for detecting the property; a storage-area housing enclosing andsecuring against unauthorized access a storage area in which documentsof value recognized by the checking device as authentic according to thecriterion are to be stored and which has a first opening through whichthe documents of value are transportable out of the processing area intothe storage area; a transport device arranged in the processing area totransport in a singled state documents of value fed along a transportpath from an input device for inputting documents of value in a singledstate or a singler to the checking device and from the checking deviceto the storage area; and a processing-area cover having a cover elementwhich is movable back and forth between a closed position at which theprocessing area is covered by the processing-area cover and an openposition at which access to the transport path from the input device orthe singler to the checking device and from the checking device to thestorage area is enabled; an intermediate repository arranged in thestorage area representing an intermediate area arranged tointermediately store at least documents of value whose property fulfillsthe criterion in a check by the checking device, and a final storagedevice at least partially enclosing a final storage area arranged toaccommodate at least one security container adapted to store documentsof value received from the intermediate repository; wherein thestorage-area housing represents an intermediate-area housing enclosingthe intermediate area comprising the first opening through whichdocuments of value coming from the checking device are fed to theintermediate repository, and a second opening through which documents ofvalue are transportable out of the intermediate repository into thefinal storage area; and wherein the storage-area housing elementrepresents an intermediate-area housing element which is movable backand forth between an open position, at which an operator is enabled toaccess the intermediate repository via an access area, and a closedposition, at which the intermediate-area housing element protects theintermediate area against access by an operator via the access area atleast for removing documents of value; and wherein the apparatus isconfigured so that the intermediate repository is protected againstaccess by an operator at least for removing a document of value storedtherein through the first opening when the intermediate-area housingelement is disposed in the closed position.
 22. The apparatus accordingto claim 21, in which the second opening has the shape of a slot with awidth of less than 9 mm.
 23. The apparatus according to claim 21, inwhich at least in the case that the cover element is disposed in theopen position and the intermediate-area housing element is disposed inthe closed position, the first opening is closed to such an extent thattransportation of a document of value through the first opening isprevented.
 24. The apparatus according to claim 21, in which theintermediate repository is movable relative to the processing areabetween a first position, at which documents of value are transportablethrough the first opening between the intermediate repository and theprocessing area, and a second position, at which at least in the casethat the cover element is disposed in the open position and theintermediate-area housing element is disposed in the closed position, atransport of a document of value out of the intermediate repositorythrough the first opening to the processing area is prevented.
 25. Theapparatus according to claim 24, comprising at least one actuating drivearranged to move the intermediate repository and a position-detectiondevice arranged to detect a movement of the cover element to the openposition and/or reaching the open position, and wherein the controldevice is designed so as to activate, in dependence on signals of theposition detection device and/or data in the position detection devicefor detecting a movement, the actuating drive in such a fashion that atransport between the intermediate repository and the processing area isenabled or not.
 26. The apparatus according to claim 21, in which atleast one further element in the intermediate-area housing, a furtherelement of the intermediate-area housing and/or the intermediaterepository is movable back and forth relative to the final storage areabetween a first position, at which documents of value are transportablethrough the second opening out of the intermediate repository into thefinal storage area, and a second position, at which such movement is notenabled.
 27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein, foroutputting documents of value, an actuating drive arranged to move thefurther element in the intermediate-area housing and/or theintermediate-area housing and/or the intermediate repository isprovided; and wherein the control device is arranged to activate theactuating drive in such a fashion that documents of value stored in theintermediate repository are transportable through one of the openings tothe final storage area in dependence on the filling level in thesecurity container and/or in dependence on data input in the controldevice and/or corresponding to their stored property.
 28. The apparatusaccording to claim 21, in which in the intermediate-area housing atleast one further opening to the final storage area is arranged, so thatthrough the openings to the final storage area documents of value aretransportable into at least two pockets of a predetermined securitycontainer having at least two pockets or into at least two predeterminedsecurity containers in the final storage area.
 29. The apparatusaccording to claim 21, in which the intermediate repository is removablefrom the apparatus if the intermediate-area housing element is disposedin the open position.